A Teacher's Personal Blog

Archive for April, 2012

Considering seating arrangement of students in class is very important especially for new teachers. If bad students sit next to good ones, behavior of bad students may influence the behavior and character of good students as well. Similarly, if you allow a poor student to sit between two outstanding students, their good behavior may also change the nature of poor one. Si it is really important to take care of seating arrangement of students in class. Here are some guidelines in this regard:

Size and shape of classroom plays an important role in deciding what you can do with the seating arrangement. There are a number of factors that can affect seating arrangement of classroom so try to consider as many factors as possible.

Consider what type of activities you class will be doing. If you want your students to work in groups, you will have to adjust the seating arrangement accordingly.

Also decide how much you like to move around in classroom. If you like to move to different areas of classroom while giving lesson, you should arrange seats in a way that creates enough space for you. If you will not consider this, you may collide with objects and students and you will lose focus on your lesson.

If you like students to discuss lesson with each other, arrange seats so that students may face each other. Students will find it difficult to discuss if they will have to stare at each others’ back.

Keep in mind the position of whiteboard. If you use whiteboard a lot, make sure that chairs are facing it. If you also use a projector along with a white board, you should position chairs in a way that students may not have to face trouble in order to pay attention to your lesson.

If you have students with special needs, take them into consideration and allow them sit in front row. It is for those students who have vision problem. If a student sits on wheel chair, allow him sit on front corner.

After considering all above factors, you will be able to create a seating arrangement that will definitely work for you. If you need to change arrangement during the year, do not worry about it as little changes are necessary.

Being a teacher, your day is full of hustle and bustle. In such a busy routine, one wants to be dressed up simply and casually. But teachers are professionals and they need to be dressed like professionals. As a teacher, you have to deal students, parents, colleagues and administrators. All of them trust you to be a mature, professional, competent and capable person. To live up to their expectations, you should dress appropriately. Among all teachers’ tips that you will get throughout your career, teacher’s tips on dressing will remain on the top. Some of these great tips are given below:

One of the most important dressing tips is not to look like your students. Regardless of what grade you teach, you are a professional and therefore you should not use pants and shirts that are cut low.

Your dress should be simple especially if you are an elementary teacher. You have to deal with a lot of kids so you should dress simply. If you are a female teacher, wear minimum jewelry. You will always want your expensive and classy jewelry to be kept safe so leave it at home and do not wear it in school.

Being a female teacher, avoid wearing tight and adhesive tops and short skirts. In other words, your clothing should be less distracting. Similarly, men with strong and prominent muscles should avoid showing them by wearing such clothes. You should remain stylish yet sober because parents consider you as a wise and mature person who guides their kids in the right way.

It is also recommended that sleeveless does not look appropriate in a classroom as it looks too casual. Always look for sleeved clothes to wear in classroom to have a mature look. If you are young and just started your career, you will have to work even harder to present yourself as a mature person.

Do not go in classroom with all the cosmetics applied on your face. Believe me; having a peacock palette on your face will not look appropriate in classroom. Use bright colors in home and parties only.

Avoid trendy and high heel shoes in classroom. Go for simple flat shoes that are also comfortable. If you have to do some sporting activity with kids, wear shoes accordingly.

While dressing, do not stick to the youthful side of your personality. In school, remain simple and create a respectful image of yourself.

The way a teacher looks moves and holds his body has a deep effect on students. Body language and gestures of a teacher give a clear message to students how is he feeling. So mastering in using body language is necessary for a teacher to control his class. Here are some non-verbal methods which a teacher can use to gain control over his class:

The first and most effective non-verbal method to control a class is moving around in room. In this way, a teacher keeps an eye on every student and students do not get a chance to whisper and gossip with each other. This attitude of a teacher prevents students from making mischievous plans and gives a message that whole class is in teacher’s control.

Students notice their teacher deeply and look for a moment when the teacher looses control. Some students also take advantage of such desperate gestures of their teachers. So teachers are needed to be aware of their postures and gestures and avoid doing anything that shows over aggressiveness.

Eye contact can also become a method to control a class. Maintaining eye contact for a few seconds can show whether a teacher is happy or angry.

Teachers should be aware of what is going on in all parts of a classroom. If a student is found doing something wrong, he/she should be pointed out at once to show that teacher is seeing him/her. It all means that a teacher should have eyes in back of head. A teacher should show with his behavior that volition of class discipline will never be tolerated.

To maintain students’ involvement, smooth and effective transitions play an important role. If a teacher will give unclear and confusing directions with lengthy explanations, he will be failed to gain students’ attention.

Students’ misbehavior starts when they experience boredom. To reduce this boredom, teacher can show a feeling of progress with his behavior. Teacher should show enthusiasm to create the same in students.

If above mentioned methods are applied, a vital and positive change can be seen in students. Body language is always more powerful than what we speak. So a teacher should use these methods to gain control over class instead of raising voice.